This was my favorite issue of New Avengers in a long time because finally we see the heroes sitting down and actually discussing what is going on with the X-Men and the Phoenix Force. We really see what Professor Xavier thinks (which should have happened in AvX but didn’t) and what the others think of him. Reed Richards really hits the nail on the head with the Avengers. They aren’t fighting for what is happening but what they think will happen. This is a great point that, again, should have been mentioned in AvX. It really drives home that AvX was just a forced fight, that the Avengers aren’t acting how they should be. Good stuff.

Ali Baba and Umi the Snow Queen will make an interesting couple. Glad to see Briar Rose back in action. Interesting way to end the first adventure. I like the discussion on “true love”, will help Briar out in the future if she ever gets pricked again. Wonder where Hadeon rates on the power level in comparision with the Winds and Mister Dark? Was nice to see Phil Jimenez pencils again. It doesn’t happen often enough.

I wish all ARAH issues were like this one. Lots of Joe characters get little moments. Good story, good script. Interesting plot. As good as one of the classics. Gallant is doing a good homage to the Trimpe style that Joe had for years.

There is just so much wrong with this issue, and only one thing right. The right is Bendis’ handling of the Guardians. Good dialogue, good characterization, good interaction. Vintage Bendis. The bad: Hill’s speech to the Avengers at the beginning. Overboard, bad dialogue. Why would it be national security and why couldn’t the Avengers be told? “A being called Thanos”? There shouldn’t be an Avenger alive who doesn’t know what Thanos does and Mockingbird’s question was even stupider. How many times has Thanos tried to destroy the universe? What else would “a Thanos” do with a cosmic cube? Tony’s plan? Dumb. What difference does it make if the Guardians attack if the “plan” is to unleash the Hulk out of the IM armor? What kind of a plan is that? This series has been bad from the beginning. Thankfully Bendis is leaving the title. Hopefully the new team can do better.

First off that cover is awful. Just bad looking. The rest of the issue? About as good. Bad plan by Cash. He’s too quick on relying on these powers he just discovered. How the hell does he know how to use them? So Helspont is plotting against the Daemonites? Huh? None of that made sense. Hell, nothing has made sense with this book.

Everytime I want to stop reading G.I. Joe:ARAH an issue like this comes around. It’ll probably be down hill from here for a few issues, but this was fun. Darklon escaping, characters connected by deceit, and other fun stuff. S.L. Gallant is my favorite Joe artist which is the only reason I’ve been picking these up recently but this truly was a great issue.